Allegro con fuoco

L

"I can't believe we're actually, really going."
Eddy eyed his love sideways and smiled happily. They were walking through that same lounge they had walked through a few months ago. This time they weren't going to Taiwan, though, and there was no Todd or Ian. 
"I know, right? Finally."
"Oh my God, look, it's the same girl." Brett said as he pointed to the stand to the left, closer to the large windows. "Wanna go ask for a paganini with brie?"
Eddy laughed. 
"Isn't that Todd's job?"
"Yeah, but there's no Todd now."
"I could do with a panini though."

Eddy knew full well that just a few months ago he absolutely wouldn't have had the balls to do this. He would have prodded Todd, and Todd would have had the balls. 
Things were different now, though. 
"Hi." he said to the girl as he put his hands on the counter. "If my friend were here he would ask for a paganini with brie, but I think I'll just go for a normal panini, if they're in stock."
She looked him up and down, her bored, bland smile turning up into a real one as she took them and their violins in.
"Hey! It's the violin guys! Whose friend never called me even though I gave him my number! Does that make him an arsehole or taken?"
Eddy's eyes opened wide. Wait. She had given Todd her number? He had never said a word. How weird?
"Oh, um, taken." he said quickly. "Actually, taken by our other friend who was also here, so yeah, there's that."
She rolled her eyes with an exaggerated smirk. 
"Of course." she said with a mock sigh. "I should have known, the cute ones are always gay, right? But okay. At least he didn't ignore me because I was repulsive. So. Panini?"
Eddy smiled. 
"I'm quite positive it wasn't because of that, no. Yes, please. Two, I think?"
He looked sideways at Brett, who nodded. 
"Yes, please."
"So, where are you going to this time?"
Eddy could see Brett's eyes light up before he even answered. 
"Singapore. We've been wanting to go for ages! We've finally got some time off and some funds saved up."
"Oh, you're going on holiday? Cool!"

She moved with sure strokes, slicing bread and cheese, sliding lettuce in between and handing them the rolls in paper napkins. 
"There you go."
Brett paid and thanked the girl and with their paninis in their hands they started towards the gate. 
"So. Todd gets numbers and then doesn't tell us?" Eddy said after a moment. Brett turned to him with a strange smile. 
"Yeah, he does. Of course he does."
Eddy eyed him in surprise as they walked to the same chairs they had sat on last time, when they were waiting to board the plane to Taiwan. 
Of course? Why of course? 
"Do you mind if we go to the duty free?" Brett interrupted his thoughts, before he could ask  him anything else about Todd and his apparent stash of phone numbers. "I want a magazine or something for on the plane."
"Sure."

A couple of hours later he was looking out of a plane window again. There was a thick cloud cover underneath them, white, billowing clouds that looked just like fluffy cotton wool you would be able to roll in. He took the copy of The Strad he had managed to find in the duty free and tried to focus on the reading. 
Of course he does. Brett had said. 
"Why of course?" he asked then, and Brett looked to him, his eyebrows furrowing in surprise. 
"Why of course what?"
Eddy shrugged. 
"You said of course he does, about Todd getting numbers. Why of course?"